Welcome to Physical Therapy!

My name is Arlene Verno and I have served as a Consultant Physical Therapist for our district since September, 1993.  I have been in practice for 43 years and have always worked exclusively with infants and children.  In addition to working as a school-based therapist, I have worked with children in a variety of settings including acute care, hospital based outpatient clinic, inpatient rehabilitation, Early Intervention, and neonatal follow up.  One of the greatest joys of my professional life was serving as the NICU Developmental Specialist for Virtua Hospital, Voorhees Division.  I met families in the earliest stages of their becoming parents, and experienced the raw emotions of uncertainty that come with this vulnerable life position.  The role has informed my work in our district, as I work to empathize and treat your child as I would like my own to be cared for.  My primary school placement is GTECC; I also provide services to students at Whitman Elementary.  My district PT colleague, Stacie, and I collaborate across the grade levels and support each other in bringing the best evidenced-based treatment, as it applies to school-based related services, for the children we care for.

Physical therapists are health care professionals who  improve and restore gross motor abilities such as movement transitions, walking, balance, strength and coordination.  School based physical therapists address gross motor impairments that restrict students' access to their education; some examples include: safe and independent navigation of the building and playground; as well as, facilitating optimum participation in age appropriate physical education activities.  To this end, there are children for whom out-patient PT services are appropriately recommended but for whom school-based services are not.  Medically based services and educationally related services are fundamentally different and we are tasked with providing the latter as per educational law.

I enjoy working with children and helping them discover and achieve their gross motor strengths, interests, joy of movement, and confidence. These assets are the building blocks for promoting a healthy lifestyle as children grow into young adults.  I look forward to working with you and your child this school year!